I’ve gotten a little behind with blogging about the 12 Days of Meowy Christmas! I’m much better at keeping up on Instagram! Here goes:

On the 7th day of Meowy Christmas my true love gave to me, a fun excuse to get quilty! This adorable cat quilt pattern is free from Blend Fabrics. You can download it here! I think it would be so cute in Christmas fabrics! I’m hoping to make it before Christmas 🙂

On the 8th day of Meowy Christmas my true love gave to me, an apron with a had stitched kitty! Kerri from Sew Deerly Loved is sharing this darling tutorial for a vintage inspired apron with kitty embroidery! Go check out her blog for full instructions and pattern!!

On the 9th day of Meowy Christmas my true love gave to me a lion that is soft and cuddly! Lucy from Lucy Blaire has created this pattern called Lyle the Lion. You can purchase it on her blog or enter to win one today on Instagram!

Today I’m taking a little break from the sewing machine and enjoying my FAVORITE gingerbread cookies – shaped like cats! This recipe has been our family’s favorite since I was in Kindergarten! It is super easy but the most flavorful gingerbread recipe you will ever have. I just brought them to our church Christmas party and a few people were fighting over them 🙂

Amanda’s Famous Gingerbread Cookies

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1/3 cup water

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp + cinnamon

2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the molasses. Next beat in the water. (it will look a little weird)

In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.

On a floured surface roll out the dough 1/4″ thick and cut with cookie cutters. If the dough seems a little sticky, just add more flour as you are rolling out.

Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Let cool. Dip in dipping chocolate or pipe with royal icing.

Gingerbread dipped in chocolate is one of the best flavor combinations in the whole world!!!I collect little vintage cats – they sit in my kitchen window and keep an eye on the baking! I didn’t want to cover up the detail on the cats, so I just dipped their heads in chocolate 🙂

These cute cat softies are ones my mom made in the early 80’s. She is also a crazy cat lady, I think it is hereditary! These cute little kittens can sew up in a snap and look darling tucked in a Christmas tree. Download the pattern HERE. I think I will make some in some updated fabrics! Every tree needs kitties in it!!!

I have a cat themed tree upstairs in the hallway. Don’t worry, there are plenty of cat ornaments on all my other trees!!!

I bought this Mufasa ornament when I was at the Farmers Market in New Jersey!OK, I may have bought 2 Mufasa ornaments 🙂

For years my mother has purchased little catnip pillows at her veterinarian’s office and sent them to her grand-cats. My cats have actually worn the pillows out because they love them so much. They are super simple just a square stuffed with fiberfill and catnip! They are purrrrfect little stocking stuffers for your furbabies!

This is the old one – not even made with cute fabric!

Let’s make some Christmas ones!

Supplies:

Bright cheery Christmas fabric, mine is from Riley Blake Designs

Fiberfill

Catnip

a word about catnip…..for years I have grown catnip. It grows easy and doesn’t need a lot of care. In fact if you start growing it you might find it growing in other parts of the yard. However, if there are any cats in the neighborhood or if your cats roam outside, they will find the catnip, roll in it, sleep in it, eat it and ruin it! You can purchase dried catnip at pet supply stores. You should definitely give your cat fresh catnip sometime just to see their reaction!

Cut (2) 3.5″ squares for each pillow. Mine were a touch smaller then the ones my mom sent. I think they were cut 4″.

Sew using 1/4″ seams along 3 sides, back stitching to start and stop.

Turn them right side out.

Fill with catnip and fiberfill. I alternated so the catnip wasn’t just at the end.

Turn the raw edges under 1/4″ and top stitch closed.

It’s best if you sew them when your cat is not sleeping right behind the sewing machine. The smell woke Mufasa and this is what happened!

Bev from Flamingo Toes is hosting Day 2 of Meow-y Christmas! She has the instructions for making this adorable embroidery hoop art. It’s the purrrrrfect gift to the cat lover in your life, or for yourself 🙂 Hop on over to her blog for this cute project and tons of other inspiring gift ideas! You can also follow her on Instagram @flamingotoes.

Hi, my name is Amanda and I am a crazy cat lady – there I said it!! There is something about Christmas and cats that it so much fun! Whether the cat is climbing the tree and batting ornaments around the house, clawing at the wrapping paper on the gifts, or drinking the milk for Santa, Christmas and Cats were made to go together! Each day December 1-12 we will have a Christmas Cat themed project for you to make! I say “we” because I have teamed up with some talented ladies for some feline fun! Tina from @emilyannskloset, Melissa from the Polka Dot Chair, Bev from Flamingo Toes, Tasha from a Little Sweetness, Kerri from Sew Dearly Loved, and Lucy from Lucy Blaire Handmade will be joining in the festivities!

Today I am showing you how to make these vintage inspired cat ornaments. I LOVE vintage prints especially if they involve cats. Let’s get started!

Begin by printing the cat images (click here to download) in REVERSE onto the Transfer Sheets.

Roughly cut out the image and place it face down onto white cotton fabric.

Place the pressing sheet over the image and press with a hot, dry iron for 20 seconds. (Read the instructions from the manufacturer just to be safe). Let cool completely and then peel off the backing paper. Cut out with scissors.

Mufasa my Kitty Helper was sleeping on the job!!! For the mittens, die cut the felt using the Sizzix mitten die.

You can die cut up to 4 at a time. You will need (2) mittens and (2) mitten tops per ornament.

Using Spray n Bond, spray the back of the kitty image and position on the top of one of the mittens. Spray the back of the small ric rac also, and position it around the kitty image. Start and stop the Ric Rac at the top of the image. The Spray n Bond keeps all the pieces firmly set so they don’t move during sewing. Sew on top of the ric rac.

Using the basting spray, spray the wrong side of one of the mittens and stick the 2 mittens together. Choose a decorative stitch and sew around the mitten. Start and stop at the top.

Spray the (2) white mitten tops with basting spray and position them on opposite sides of the mitten. Top stitch around the mitten top in white thread. Cut a piece of narrow tinsel by the yard and zig zag it along the mitten cuff.

Thread a piece of baking twine on a needle and add a loop at the top of the mitten. Hot glue a little bow at the top of the ric rac.

Hang on your vintage tree!!! These are so fun and easy to make! They would be purrrrfect tied on top of a gift, tied on a plate of cookies, or simply tucked into a Christmas card 🙂